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A Vibrant Platform At The Service Of Cluster Organisations

The European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) is an action of the Cluster Internationalisation Programme for SMEs funded under COSME launched by DG GROW of the European Commission in 2016.
The ECCP provides networking and information support for clusters and their members aiming to improve their performance and increase their competitiveness through trans-national and international cooperation.

About Cluster Organisations

This is the stage on which cluster organisations present themselves - their structures, services, experiences and above all, their interest in cooperation with peers. We invite you to explore this diverse cluster community, identify your potential cooperation partner and show the world what you are good at - by profiling your organisation !

What is ESCP-S3 ?

The European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for smart specialisation investments (ESCP-S3) are transnational cluster partnerships that support cluster cooperation in thematic areas related to regional smart specialisation strategies and to increase the involvement of the industry in the context of the Smart Specialisation Platform for Industrial Modernisation.

What is ESCP-4i?

The European Strategic Cluster Partnerships – Going International (ESCPs-4i) are transnational cluster partnerships that develop and implement a joint internationalination strategy and support SME internationalisation towards third countries beyond Europe.

What are ESCPs ?

The European Strategic Cluster Partnerships have been launched by the European Commission as effective means of supporting cross-border collaboration for the benefit of SMEs with the ultimate goal of boosting economic growth and competitiveness in Europe.

About matchmaking events

ECCP organises inter-European matchmaking events, as well as opportunities for you to meet your peers from other countries – either in EU or abroad. Find also additional international matchmaking opportunities promoted here.

About European Cluster Initiatives

As an information hub, ECCP collects and structures a wide variety of information relevant for cluster organisations from various European programmes and initiatives like the ones below.
These are supporting in different ways the interaction between clusters and for driving the competitiveness of European businesses. We offer you here the unique opportunity to find out more about the most relevant cluster-related projects and what you can learn from them. Or, why not, cooperate with them!

Cluster Excellence Programme

The European Commission makes continuous efforts aimed at strengthening the cluster management excellence in the EU as a way to provide more professional business services to European SMEs through clusters and therefore contribute to the development of more world-class clusters in the EU.

In 2014 a first call for proposals in the framework of the Cluster Excellence Programme was started, followed by a second call for proposals in 2015. This action targeted assistance under the COSME programme for cluster organisations, business networks and their managers to provide high quality services to SMEs in different areas.

While the first call for proposals looked more into how to:

improve their management practices as well as their market/competitive advantages or value-chain analytical capacities

provide top quality services to their SMEs, especially on integrating creativity into their business, facilitating SMEs internationalisation, better exploiting and diffusing Key Enabling Technologies (KETs), assisting SMEs on IPRs protection and further addressing resource-efficiency issues within their cluster

the second call for proposals focuses on:

gaining further insights into cluster members’ positioning in value-chains (e.g. through value-chain analyses),